Never smoked salmon but i have smoked trout i set the drum at 180* for three hours used apple chunks. Came out great.
Alder will work it needs to cure at least six months. Don't use chips use chunks the size of your fist.OK, I'll try that. Up here in the Pacific Northwest there are alot of Alder trees -- would that make good chips? Seems like all the other wood references are for woods harder than alder. Also, how dry does the wood need to be?